27Stun
Guns –stun guns were discovered in the
last two weeks in carry-on bags around the nation. Five were discovered at San
Diego (SAN), three at Denver (DEN), three at Las Vegas (LAS), two at Washington
Dulles (IAD), and one each at Allentown (ABE), Atlanta (ATL), Boise (BOI),
Dallas/Love (DAL), Jacksonville (JAX), Los Angeles (LAX),
Medford(MFR),
Salt Lake City (SLC), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), St. Louis
(STL), Delta County(ESC), Tri Cities (TRI), and
Westchester (HPN).

Items in the Strangest Places
–It’s
important to examine your bags prior to traveling to ensure no prohibited items
are inside. If a prohibited item is discovered in your bag, you could be cited
and quite possibly arrested by local law enforcement. Here are a few examples
from
the past two weeks where prohibited items were found
in strange places.

Brass knuckles taped between two
cell phones were discovered at Orlando (MCO).

A credit card knife was
discovered at Albuquerque (ABQ).

A credit card knife was
discovered at Charlotte (CLT).

A credit card knife was
discovered at Fort Lauderdale (FLL).

A 3½-inch knife was discovered in
the waistline of an Albuquerque (ABQ) passenger during a pat down.

A cane sword was discovered at
Washington Dulles (IAD).

An anomaly was detected in a
checked bag at St. Thomas (STT). After inspecting the bag, 2.2 kilograms of
cocaine were discovered concealed inside candles. We’re not looking for drugs,
but powder inside what should be a solid wax candle does call for additional
scrutiny. This is just another example of how our technology can spot anomalies
and keep the flying public safe.

Unfortunately these sorts
of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds.
Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the
same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down
and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in
some cases is even arrested. The passenger can face a penalty as high as $7,500.00.
This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because
we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad
intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases,
people simply forgot they had these items.

*In order to provide a
timely weekly update, I compile my data from a preliminary report. The year-end
numbers will vary slightly (increase) from what I report in the weekly updates.
However, any monthly, midyear, or end-of-year numbers TSA provides on this blog
or elsewhere will not be estimates.

You said,"We’re not looking for drugs, but powder inside what should be a solid wax candle does call for additional scrutiny. This is just another example of how our technology can spot anomalies and keep the flying public safe."

No, those concealed drugs were not a threat to aviation safety. Any govt employee should report to law enforcement (which TSA is not) if they see an illegal act or item. Nothing your screeners did made flights leaving from that airport safer. Why shrilly crow about doing something very, very ordinary that is done by every other govt employee and proclaim the flying public is "safer" when it simply is not?

I thought some of the knives were going to be allowed to be carried onto planes. Why are you still confiscating them? There is no way anybody is taking over a plane with a knife anymore. I think the rest of the world allows some of these knives to be carried on. Why does the TSA insist on confiscating the knives that are allowed around the world?

Really, Bob. Candles filled with cocaine in check bags? So either drug-sniffing dogs found the coke or the airport uses CTX to screen all baggage. Whichever method found them, the drugs were not a threat to the plane.

Even if the candles had been C4 in “disguise” they could not have been used without a detonator.

When you find C4 candles with detonators, then come back to us bragging about your big catch. Until then, Bob, the TSA is only made to look foolish by claiming coke as a big catch.

Anon sez - "I thought some of the knives were going to be allowed to be carried onto planes."

That was originally the plan proposed by Administrator Pistole, however, after further review it was never implemented. As of now, knives of any kind are still a prohibited item in carryon baggage. Maybe in the future, the proposed changes will be reconsidered as part of the risk based screening programs.

"Maybe in the future, the proposed changes will be reconsidered as part of the risk based screening programs."

West,

If it were truly risk-based and not emotional-based, we both know that knives would, indeed, be allowed at this point, right? The decision not to implement this change was based on fear and emotion, and nothing more.

I actually supported the TSA *gasp* in lifting the stupid knife ban. Unfortunately, the flight attendants and some of the public actually bought TSA's "OH MY GOD!! TERRORISTS ARE EVERYWHERE!! bravo sierra line.

"That was originally the plan proposed by Administrator Pistole, however, after further review it was never implemented. As of now, knives of any kind are still a prohibited item in carryon baggage. Maybe in the future, the proposed changes will be reconsidered as part of the risk based screening programs.

WestTSA Blog Team"

West I do feel the need to point out that while this has been mentioned in all major media outlets the very last word on this the official TSA Blog was that they would be allowed. I can appreciate the policy reversal probably has a lot of TSA employees including Bob flustered. That's unfortunate if the reversal left you guys feeling uncomfortable but your fingers inside my underwear make me uncomfortable too. It needed to be addressed here as the official source in an official capacity and it never was.

"That was originally the plan proposed by Administrator Pistole, however, after further review it was never implemented. As of now, knives of any kind are still a prohibited item in carryon baggage. Maybe in the future, the proposed changes will be reconsidered as part of the risk based screening programs.

WestTSA Blog Team"

West I do feel the need to point out that while this has been mentioned in all major media outlets the very last word on this the official TSA Blog was that they would be allowed. I can appreciate the policy reversal probably has a lot of TSA employees including Bob flustered. That's unfortunate if the reversal left you guys feeling uncomfortable but your fingers inside my underwear make me uncomfortable too. It needed to be addressed here as the official source in an official capacity and it never was.

I'm more than a little surprised that there is not one, single positive comment about the TSA. Not because I agree with what the TSA does; in fact, I am 100% against the TSA. But rather, this is the TSA's blog, is it not? Where are all of the safe fliers commenting and thanking the TSA for doing their jobs so well?

OK I will post a positive comment: Thanks TSA employees for doing all you do and putting up with those passengers that just don't seem to get it and still greet me with a pleasent hello. The TSA is not a necessary evil but is necessary because of the evil in the world today. I believe they should confiscate all contraband regardless (powder inside a wax candle sounds like a good delivery method for weaponized antrax) and as for carrying knives onboard an aircraft I have one question, what on earth do you need a knife for on an aircraft? All we need is a knife fight to breakout between two passengers arguing over the arm rest between them. I for one do not want Darwin Award Winners carrying weapons on any flight I am on. The only thing missing from the report of items seized are pictures with names of the persons caught. While I do not agree with all the TSA policies and yes some are based on the emotional needs of some, but some people don't always think logically (as evidenced by some of the previous post on this blog)and need that emotional reassurance. Again, thanks and keep up the good work see you on next flight.

"...and as for carrying knives onboard an aircraft I have one question, what on earth do you need a knife for on an aircraft?"

Possibly you need it at your destination? Possibly you need a multi-tool to do things like fix your eyeglasses?

"All we need is a knife fight to breakout between two passengers arguing over the arm rest between them."

Said passengers could attack each other with pens, pencils, knitting needles, stiletto heels, broken liquor mini-bottles, the broken handle of a carry-on bag, various items purchased in the terminal shops, and, of course, fists and feet. TSA's job is preventing hijackings, not protecting individual people from each other. You realize a fight could break out between strangers anywhere, right? Church, the grocery store, a waiting room, a restaurant, a party, etc. Should the government prohibit people from carrying knives in those places, too?

Thank you for doing your job to keep people safe. How quickly we have forgotten the tragedy of 9/11. The people complaining and harassing obviously did not suffer a loss in that tragedy and it appears they were not impacted by it as well.

Law E. Wife said, "How quickly we have forgotten the tragedy of 9/11. The people complaining and harassing obviously did not suffer a loss in that tragedy and it appears they were not impacted by it as well."

You make too many assumptions in an effort to support the TSA.

Don't attempt to negatively label people to prove your point. All you do is show how little you know about the people who hold freedom, privacy, & our Constitution dear.

Law Enforcement Wife said..."Thank you for doing your job to keep people safe. How quickly we have forgotten the tragedy of 9/11. The people complaining and harassing obviously did not suffer a loss in that tragedy and it appears they were not impacted by it as well."

Actually, I know of lots of victims' families who are even more opposed to the TSA than I am (and that's saying a lot), so you may want to get some facts on your side before making such a broad statement.